Physical Activity and the Common Cold in Undergraduate University Students: Implications for Health Professionals

Abstract

Objective The common cold, known as upper respiratory tract infection (URTI), is the world's most prevalent illness. The purpose of this study was to determine if physical activity is linked to the incidence and/or duration of the common cold.

Method Undergraduate university students (n=200) were asked to complete two questionnaires. The Paffenbarger Physical Activity Questionnaire (PPAQ) estimated physical activity levels of participants in the previous year. The second questionnaire required participants to record the number and length of URTIs experienced over the previous year. Pearson product-moment correlation coefficients were used to analyse the relationships between physical activity (kcal/week) and the incidence and duration of URTIs.

Results There was no relationship between the number of kilocalories expended per week through physical activity and the incidence (r=-0.042, p=0.304) or duration (r=-0.014, p=0.434) of URTIs.

Conclusion In the specific population of undergraduate university students, physical activity was not significantly related to the incidence or duration of the common cold.